A Bitter Taste
by Midnight-Halos
Summary: Ichigo and Tatsuki never realized how bitter they had become during the process of growing apart.
1. Bitter

Just an idea that's been dancing around in my head and creating extremely deep imprints on the interior of my skull.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Tatsuki would have played a _much_ bigger role

* * *

It's only when they are together, alone for once after five years and in college, that they realize just how bitter the other is, even if they can't tell each other what it is that makes them so.

Tatsuki is bitter for the boy-no, he's a man now, she rebukes herself-that she once thought she knew. Bitter that she no longer knows him as she once did and is now stuck living in the memories of the past, something that she, a fresh young woman braving the world with only her strength and schoolbag all those years ago, swore never to do.

But she finds it far too difficult to look at Ichigo now and see a person she doesn't know. She doesn't want to see him leave like Orihime has. It's easier to break a promise to herself than to lose him too.

She should never have let Inoue become her constant. Tatsuki had gotten used to protecting her because she liked protecting anyone she can. She still does, that's just her nature. She's not a genius, she's not eloquent, she's not beautiful or girly, she's athletically gifted and that's what she's comfortable with. That's how she thought if would stay with Orihime; she would be a protector, Inoue her charge. But then Orihime had proven to be capable enough to take care of herself...and then she drifted away.

What kind of a shitty constant was that?

She'd moved on. She could handle being without Orihime, difficult though it was.

Ichigo though...She'd known Ichigo when he'd been a scrawny li'l kid with a smile too big for his face and tears that didn't belong on a boy's face. In passing years, she saw him become a moody, rebellious young man that didn't quite know what the hell he was supposed to do. And then she'd seen him, boy-Ichigo and man-Ichigo, unite to make a whole when Kuchiki came.

She hated herself for not being able to help Ichigo when someone else, someone they'd almost just met could.

She wanted to reach out, and show Ichigo that she was still Tatsuki, still waiting for him...but then she remembered who she was. She was still Tatsuki. She was still strong, and tough, and as unfeminine as could be. She was still impatient, still proud, still as independent as the day she'd met Ichigo.

And she still hated herself for losing him.

She took another sip of her coffee, not noticing Ichigo's descent into thought.

Ichigo didn't know what happened.

With Tatsuki and him.

A bonus of becoming a shinigami he'd realized, was to be able to one up Tatsuki at last. Cause come on, who can beat being a _shinigami? _But somewhere along the way, it seemed like their friendship had sort of started deteriorating. Sure, they still cared for each other, and went through the same motions that friends usually did.

But there wasn't the same meaning that it once held. And for the normally fearless, reckless Ichigo, it scared the freaking shit out of him.

He wanted to show Tatsuki how much stronger he'd become, but somehow in this mess of maybe a few months...somehow he'd gone forever, and he was looking back at her. Beside him then were Chad, Rukia, Inoue, and Ishida, but there was no longer Tatsuki. And ahead of him, he didn't know what waited.

Ichigo in the present, Tatsuki in the past.

Tatsuki in the present, Ichigo lightyears ahead of her.

They didn't know how to bridge the gap.

It made them bitter.

They both took a sip of their black coffees and found that the bitterness in the drink was undetectable.

The bitterness in their hearts was stronger.

Toasting each other in their heartss, they took another sip to the future.

* * *

Yeah, originally I figured I might expand this into a multi-chapter where Tatsuki and Ichigo work to repair their friendship, but I figured that I probably wasn't capable of it. Tell me whatcha think? 


	2. Awkward

Oh wow, I never thought that you guys would like that one shot so much! O.O

So yeah, here's the second and final installment of A Bitter Taste.

Oh, and I actually inserted dialogue for once so I'm kind of nervous about this piece. Not one of my better works, so be warned.

Disclaimer: Er, yeah. Don't own it.

* * *

Ichigo and Tatsuki leaned against the brick wall of the cafe, arms crossed to shield themselves from the winter cold.

"Are you cold?" Ichigo broke the awkward silence, looking as if he were about to remove his jacket so that he could throw it over Tatsuki's bare shoulders.

Tatsuki only glanced at him dryly, raising a cynical eyebrow in response. "Mind your own business Kurosaki."

The moment the last word left her mouth, they both stiffened and a barrier of awkwardness suddenly sprung up between them.

_Kurosaki. _

How many years had it been since Tatsuki had first called him by his last name?

More importantly, when had Tatsuki stopped referring to him by his first?

Throat suddenly dry, Ichigo's words came out in a rough rasp."Not like I was going to give you my jacket anyway." He forced himself to relax his shoulders and glanced down at Tatsuki.

_Let's pretend we're okay. _

Tatsuki shivered, arms wrapping around her torso like a straitjacket as she attempted to play along. "That's so like you." She said, looking up at him. Their gaze met for one electrifying moment and then they looked away, Tatsuki blinking furiously to hide the burning in the back of her eyes.

_Except, y'know, we're not. _

What was like him? Tatsuki was terrified to be reminded that she didn't even know what he was like now and what he wasn't. That she could only cling to memories.

"Whatever." They fell back into an awkward silence, pretending that the person next to them wasn't there. It was easier to focus on the cold.

"Kurosaki!"

"Tatsuki-chan!"

The recipients looked towards the sources of the voices, both of which came from the same direction.

Ishida, Orihime, and Sado had pulled up in front of the awkward duo.

Orihime stepped out of the car first, looking worried at Tatsuki's lack of a jacket. "Tatsuki, you must be so cold!"

"No, I'm fine." The words came out of her mouth unbidden, spoken gently to the bright haired girl. Everyone was always gentle to the bubbly girl.

And all of a sudden, for no particular reason at all, Tatsuki wanted to yell at Orihime, scream at her and cut her down with cruel words, reveal weaknesses that she knew were there, would always be there, no matter how strong the girl became. She wanted to see her cry and break before her very eyes...

But Tatsuki's loyalty was stronger than any of her impulses.

"I'm just going to head home right now..." Tatsuki said instead, shoving her hands in her pockets. It would be better to leave now and let those cruel desires fade instead of testing just how strong her loyalty was. "I'll see you guys later."

_If I ever see you again. _

"But, but, it's only eight! We were going to do so much, like go to the movies and eat dinner at that fancy fusion place Ishida said we should go to, even though I could just make dinner at home with a loaf of bread and red bean paste and peas and mayo-"

"Please. Orihime. I'm tired...I'm just, I had a long day. Another day. I promise." Tatsuki smiled weakly and began to leave despite protests, lifting her hand in a wave goodbye.

Ichigo watched her go, a look of impassivity on his face.

And then he changed the direction of his life.

He began to bridge the gap.

After so long, he'd seen her again. Damned if he was just going to let her go and slip through his fingers, let her disappear again. He caught up to her easily, as she'd been walking while he'd been running.

She didn't even look back, only exhaled softly. "Really Orihime, I'm ti-"

She froze and her eyes widened as she felt something heavy drape over her shoulders.

She refused to look over her shoulder, only staying in a state of paralysis as Ichigo spoke.

"If you get sick, it'll be Ishida on my ass so just, just take it. Orihime can return it to me next time I see her. And don't throw it away or it'll be Karin on my ass too." Mutely, Tatsuki nodded, utterly confused by the voice that was emanating somewhere to her right and above her.

She glanced behind her when she heard footsteps stride away and saw Ichigo leaving, hands shoved deeply into his pockets.

Only then did she gingerly slip her hands into the sleeves and start off towards home again.

Only when she was halfway home, did Tatsuki realize that she was smiling.

"Oi, Kurosaki." Ishida glanced at the carrot top in his rear view mirror.

"What?"

"You have a weird expression on your face. It's sort of like you're grimacing but happy."

Ichigo glared at the seat in front of him.

Orihime ventured a guess softly, her head cocked to the right. "Is it that, perhaps, Kurosaki-kun is smiling?"

Smiling?

Ichigo thought about it for a moment. Yeah. It was probably that.

Smiling.

It felt good.


End file.
